Alex Morgan celebrated three times for the USWNT. (Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Rose Lavelle returned to the city of her birth Tuesday night and gave the hometown fans what they wanted in the opening 15 minutes.
During that span, the midfielder scored a goal and assisted on three others to ignite the U.S. women’s national team to a 8-0 victory over Paraguay at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
As it turned out, she wasn’t necessarily the star of the match as Alex Morgan struck for a hat-trick in the international friendly.
It was the second consecutive win by the Americans over the Paraguayans after the hosts polished off a 9-0 result last week.
⚽️ @roselavelle
⚽️ @sophsssmith
⚽️ @alexmorgan13
⚽️ @alexmorgan13 … again
⚽️ @catarinamacarioAll five goals from the first half! ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/qMaaQWGZ5s
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) September 22, 2021
To say the USA scored early and often would be an understatement.
Lavelle started the rout as she converted a Casey Krueger feed in the fourth minute.
Two minutes later, the Bronze Ball winner at the 2019 Women’s World Cup turned playmaker as Lavelle set up Sophia Smith’s first international goal and Morgan’s first of the evening in the eighth minute.
Morgan made it 4-0 in the 14th minute before Catarina Macario found the net a minute later for a 5-0 halftime advantage.
Eight minutes into the second, Morgan notched her third goal of the match. After she replaced Morgan, Carli Lloyd made it 7-0 in the 78th minute.
Macario closed out the scoring with an unassisted goal in the 82nd minute.